A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.|Aug. 30, 2001|India | United States | Italy | Germany | France | United Kingdom|114 Min.|R
Genre: Bollywood;Comedy;Drama;Romance
Description: Monsoon Wedding (2001) is a captivating film that revolves around the preparation of a large, chaotic, and costly wedding in a modern Indian family. Lalit Verma, portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah, and his wife Pimmi, played by Lillete Dubey, have arranged their daughter Aditi’s marriage to Hemant Rai, the son of a family friend from Texas. Aditi, portrayed by Vasundhara Das, has only known Hemant, played by Parvin Dabas, for a short time. As customary in Indian culture, such weddings bring together extended family members from across the world, along with their emotional baggage.
Assisting Lalit and Pimmi in the wedding preparations are Pimmi’s sister Shashi and her husband C.L, who arrive from Oman. Days before the engagement, Tej Puri, Lalit’s wealthy brother-in-law from the U.S., joins the family. Tej, portrayed by Rajat Kapoor, has supported the Verma family financially since the Partition of India left them in poverty years ago. He offers to fund the education of Ria Verma, Aditi’s cousin, in the U.S., but Ria remains distant and uneasy around him.
As the wedding approaches, Lalit struggles to cover the remaining expenses, even resorting to borrowing money from friends. Meanwhile, P.K. Dubey, the quirky wedding planner, develops feelings for Alice, the Verma family’s maid. Ria becomes alarmed when she notices Tej’s questionable behavior toward a younger relative, prompting her concerns. Aditi’s younger brother Varun plans an elaborate dance for the pre-wedding festivities, but Lalit worries about his son’s behavior and considers sending him to boarding school. This heartfelt story explores family dynamics, tradition, and love amidst the chaos of a grand wedding.
Cast director: Mira Nair
Cast actor: Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Vijay Raaz, Tillotama Shome, Vasundhara Das, Parvin Dabas, Sameer Arya, Neha Dubey, Kemaya Kidwai, Ishaan Nair
Original name: Monsoon Wedding